Dark Cry
by CrazyLittleKookoo
Summary: Rika can hardly remember her past, she only knows she must obey her master. She doesnt even know how to live in the real world or what it is.Dominic is at his end, trying to die with dignity, neither of them have hope for the future, just following orders
1. Chapter 1

**A/N I own none of the characters from the Carpathian Series, that wonderful world belong to Christine Feehan herself. The only characters I own are the one I create, such as Rika.**

Dark Cry

Chapter 1

I sat in the car as Leon pulled up outside one of the illegal clubs, it was used for dog fights, and cock fights, illegal gambling and bets. But that's not what Don was interested in, he had loaned money out to the owner, it was meant to be due back two weeks ago, he had given out warnings and threats but it seemed the owner was naïve enough to think he could boss Don around. Bad move, 'cause that's when Don brings me in to sort things out. I didn't care, he was the boss after all, I had to do what he said.

"Come on now Rika." Don said as he climbed out of the Bentley in his crisp midnight blue suit, his muddy brown hair was slicked back and his shrewd light blue eyes where nearly glowing in excitement of what was to come.

"Leon stay with the car, Mark stay in the side of Rika." Mark, your typical blonde surfer type climbed out of the passenger seat and opened my door, when I got out he griped me by my arm and led me behind Don into the back entrance of the club. The stench of streets and filth clogged up my nose. The club was built at the back of a jewellery shop the owner owned. He had the money. He should have paid when he had the chance.

Walking into the club that was built with rusty metal walkway frames, flashing lights sand deep pounding music, I clocked the exits, including the windows. Inside there were people dancing and drinking, men wore baggy clothes or were topless, women wore clothes that barely left anything for the imagination, but it was enough to stop them getting arrested for jaywalking. Couples of men and women alike were dancing, or downing shots in quick success.

One of the bouncers stopped up and after Don said a few quick words we were escorted through a hallway at the back of the club that led to a high design and expensive furniture adorned office, at the back of the jewellery store. This was how the boss connected his two businesses, both legal and illegal.

Don had kitted me out in skin tight black jeans, a silver crop top that had metal chains looping across it, black boots and black leather fingerless gloves. Don usually did this, dress me up for show, people usually thought I was just a piece of meat on his arm, a show dog. They never did suspect, unless Don got mad and wanted to make a serious threat.

The door closed behind us and the man in the chair across the desk grinned at us. "Well hello there Don, what can I do for you this fine evening?" The man in the suit leaned forward on his desk.

"Mr. Howards I believe you owe me twelve thousand dollars. And yes I would like it in American currency even if we're not in America. You've ignored my warnings and your debt is overdue. Last chance, pay up." Don said as he crossed his arms.

The four men standing at the edges of the room lowered their arms and clenched their fists. Mr. Howards a rat of a man, with his lanky build and features, his brown crew cut and shining green eyes, began laughing.

"What if I don't pay you?"

Don gestured to me and Mark took a step back. "Have you met Rika, pretty thing isn't she? You don't pay up, now, her collar comes off and she'll take out your men and hurt you so much you'll want to give me the money and more."

All for show, a show of who was in control and who had the power. The collar was just an idea Don had gotten from somewhere, he had utilised it and now he found it entertaining. But it worked to some extent, I knew Don owned me, I knew he was the boss. I had to obey his every word.

"Really? Now what you gonna do sugar, give me and my boys a lap dance? Well Don, if what you say is true, then its probably in my best interests to keep that collar on at all costs, isn't it?"

Before Mr. Howards could give a signal to his men Don's hand flew to the metal and leather collar at my throat. "Bad move Dean."

The collar opened with a click and swung off my neck. That was my cue. I took a step forward just as one of the men rushed up to us, attempting to grab us. My leg shot out, hitting him in the stomach, knocking him back into the wall. The other three men cam at me then, one fumbled in his jacket to draw a gun. I spun in a circle and threw my hands out so I could use my momentum to throw one of the burly men at Howards desk, when he crashed down on it, Howards leapt up and made a dash for the door. I pounced on the man who was drawing the gun, smacking his head into the wall and banging it repeatedly till he went limp, turning around I could see the third man coming at me with a crowbar and the first one I'd hit was crawling up the wall back to his feet. The crowbar swiped past me and I dodged to the side, the man swung the crowbar a few more times, I dodged again till I got bored and gripped the crowbar with my fist on a swing to my head, I used my hold to pull the man forward, twisted the crow bar out of his grasp and swung the crowbar hard and fast at his head, making a bleeding gash. I threw the crowbar at the man who had finally gotten to his feet and was pulling out his revolver at his temple, he went down in seconds.

The entire scene had taken a few minutes, Mark and Don were on the side of the room watching enjoyably. Dean Howards was running down the hallway, the door swung open showing his fleeing back as he raced to a door. I glanced at Don, he tilted his head letting me know he wanted me to go after him.

I sprinted down the corridor catching up in seconds, I could hear Dean's panting breath, the fear in his eyes as he glanced back at me. He was my prey. I jumped and landed on his back as he fumbled to open the door. We went down and I rolled with the momentum using it to throw Dean into whatever room we had fallen through into. I jumped to my feet and realised we where in the jewellery shop. Glass cases were dotted around everywhere, containing crystal, diamond, ruby and every other kind of jewellery available.

There were more guards in here, as they came at me I threw my punches, even alternating my hands into a claw strike to hit more fiercer. When they fell to the ground I stamped on them, I ignored the blows I got dealt, the tender bruising or my bleeding knuckles. Don wanted a lesson taught and I was the best on to do it.

Screams went around as the shoppers tried to scatter away and had to resort to standing against the walls as I turned the shop into my playground. When the last guard dropped like a stone, I grabbed Dean off the floor from where he was trying to scramble away, I threw him into a glass cabinet and as he crumpled on the floor I stamped on his chest, breaking bones, then I used my fists as I couched over him, breaking his nose and blacking his eye.

"That's enough Rika." My fist stopped immediately in mid strike. I slowly released my grip on Don's shirt and straightened up.

"Take it, take what you want, take all of it." Dean gasped out through the pain as he cowered under my stare.

"I'm not a greedy man Dean, but when I give you money that help you set up in this country I expect to be paid back in time we agreed. But you tried to make a fool out of me, now I hope you know better cause I've seen Rika here dodge bloody bullets. I'll take what I'm owed and a little something for Rika here as a treat. Next time don't try to cross me, otherwise I wont stop her. Well trained she is boy."

The entire time Don had been talking he'd been picking up diamonds and expensive jewellery throwing it into a small bag Mark handed him.

I looked around the room and on every face I saw, I saw the same expression, repeated over and over again. Fear. They were all afraid of me. I pair of frightened blue eyes captured me, I stared at the face of a young beautiful girl, dressed in a long skirt and blue blouse she looked as innocent as a flower trying to hide behind a curtain of long black hair.

It made no sense to me, we all had to obey our masters, I was only obeying mine, as long as they did nothing to him to set me on them they were safe, so why did they fear me?

"Why…. Am I feared?" I asked with a husky disused turned to me with surprise, then looked at the girl I was staring at. He began to grin. "They're not afraid of you Rika, just surprised I think you gave them quite a show. You're not afraid of her are you? You girl what's your name?"The girl trembled and was pulled into a hug by a tall elegant woman. "Skyler." I head her murmur.

"What was that kid, speak up." Don spoke as he took a step towards her. Her mother, I'm guessing, held her tighter.

My ears perked to the sound of a silent scrape something clicking and fabric rustling. I spun low just as a shot was fired past where my head at been, the bullet embedded in the ceiling instead. I swung my leg out on a spin to knock the gun from Dean's hand, I heard a crack of bones as he cried out. I lunged forward and slammed him forward, my nails like claws digging into his throat as I slammed him down. My eyes changed, burned amber and the pupils elongated onto slits, a hiss and a growl ripped out of my throat as I felt my precarious control slip.

I wanted to rip his fucking throat out.

"Rika I said that's enough!" Don shouted as he rushed over with the collar in his hand.

I squeezed my hand tighter, feeling the windpipe crush. I wanted this man dead, an eye for an eye, he may have failed to kill me but I wouldn't fail in killing him.

I felt the slap of the collar as it wrapped around my neck and Don clicked the clasp closed. Immediately I relaxed my grasp, Don was in control, and he wanted me to stop.

"That's enough now lets go, I think these folks have had quite a bit of a shock for the rest of t night."

Just for safety precautions Mark hauled me up by my arm and didn't let his vicelike grip slip as we walked out of the shop. I threw a last glance at the girl, Skyler as she and her mother looked at me with shock. Why, when I looked at them two, did I feel such longing?

I went back into my obedient shell as Don climbed into the Bentley with me, once we were all secure Leon drove off to the building we were staying at whilst we were staying in Romania, Carpathian Mountains, during a business trip. Don had already paid off the local police, so we were able to do what was necessary.

Skyler looked to Francesca as they walked out of the shop and straight into Gabriel's arms.

"Are you okay? Where are they?" He asked as he scanned the minds of everyone in the area.

"We're fine, there was no danger to us just the owner, it seems he didn't pay all that he owed." Francesca consoled as she soothed the worries of her life mate.

Skyler completely forgot about the bracelet her and Francesca had just bought for baby Tamara, instead her mind was fixed on the girl she had seen be so fierce. Rika.

"That girl, she seemed confused, like she didn't fully understand what was going on. She asked why we eared her, that doesn't sound like something your average thug would say. And….."

"What is it Skyler? There's nothing to be afraid of, we were never in any danger you know, Gabriel put up safeguards to protect us."

"No that's not it, when she looked at me, she seemed lost, like I was before you found me, lost in my own mind. And you must have felt the surge of power, and at the end, her eyes, they changed. They looked like a cat's eyes. I don't think she's normal, or even human. But I also want to help her. That man was treating her like a dog, literally she had a collar."

Skyler tried to describe her befuddled thoughts, she was afraid but she knew what it was like to believe what you were told and to be so far in your own mind that people could practically control you. She could recognise it in that girl, Rika, she didn't look much older than Skyler, and she couldn't just let her stay in the hopeless world Skyler had been saved from, could she?


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I sat in the car as it rolled through the town, it started raining and I was fascinated by the splatter of rain drops on the car window. I was even more entranced on the stars I could see sparkling where the few wisps of clouds were void. I stared in wonder at the stars and I thought for a moment that I could hear a far off voice talking, casually to me. _Rika stop staring at the stars, I promise you they'll still be there tomorrow night. No matter how bad you feel, the stars will still be there for you when you go to bed, just like the sun is there for you when you wake up._

That soft feminine voice made a curious twinge go through my chest. That was odd, it wasn't so much a pain like being hit but it made my breathing hitch for a single moment. Who did that voice belong to? Oh look another raindrop… My thought process was all over the place, Don always told me 'never think to much, don't focus your mind on anything unless I tell you to.' That was okay, I owed Don, he cared for me, raised me, gave me a purpose, I didn't mind obeying him. Besides we all had to obey someone right? Whether it was The Law, King or Queen, or even someone called God, my master was Don. The rather happy, chubby man who was sat in the seat next to me, going through the precious little gems he had picked up, examining them with a critical eye and gloating to Leon and Mark. They were all laughing, nothing unusual there, they found it funny whenever I obeyed Don and the person I was sent after tried to fight back. The car came to a stop outside a big house. I liked the look off the oak beams on the decking that stretched around it, floor to ceiling walls decorated the dining room showing the huge expanse of floor used for dancing and the tables full of people eating and laughing, there was a lounge section I could see on the other side of the room, it had a few children playing in there.

"I cant believe that fucking idiot actually tried to take on Rika, he pulled out a fucking gun for Christ's sake, bet he pissed himself when she dodged that bullet." Leon laughed as he pulled out the keys and got out. Mark got out of the passenger seat next and opened my door for me and held me by the arms as he helped me out.

"Hey boss, we going in for a reason?" Mark asked as he rested a hand on my back. I looked across at Don who was lighting a cigarette.

"Nah, we're just going in to have a few drinks, Erika said she might come by here as well. Come on lads lets have a pint, my treat." Don was in a very happy mood, maybe I had done well today.

"What do you want us to do with Rika here?" Mark asked.

Don looked at me with a sharp eye and had a sickly smile light up his face. "Bring her inside, I think she deserves a treat and we can sort her out, her face is bleeding and so are her knuckles. Come on lads."

Without asking anymore questions we walked in, Mark keeping a grip on my upper arm and a hand at the small of my back. When we walked through the doors, I guess we were at the reception, this was an inn and a hotel in one. We passed the huge sweeping staircase and ignoring the lounge and dining area, we sat at a table in a corner near the bar. Leon went up to get the drinks and pay with Don's money I just sat there trying to see the people dancing, it looked like fun.

I tilted my head curiously as a man wrapped his arms around a woman's waist, she smiled up at him and swayed slightly and whispered something in his ear which made him smile and laugh a little. She turned her head and walked away smiling, she cradled her over large stomach and leaned against a table as a group of more women surrounded her. She must be pregnant. And some of the other women were as well, two of them held a baby each. They seemed so happy, the man who had been with her before was now talking too a group of three men, they seemed to look a lot alike, tall, muscle build, dark eyes, long black hair tied neatly at the nape of their necks. Actually two of them looked exactly the same, twins, the one that looked deep in thought trying to explain something to the one who had been dancing with the woman had, had slashing silver eyes that seemed to take in everything around him.

There was something powerful about them, something strange that most people wouldn't notice. Was it just me or did these men seem to move with a purpose when everyone else in the world seemed to wander through life? I was intrigued by the strange aura that surrounded these people, yet at the same time I wanted to back off cautiously my hair was standing on end and I could feel a growl building up.

"Rika!" Don's sharp voice pulled me to awareness. I looked at him with a quizzical stare.

"The girl is lost in her own mind boss, chuck her a bone and she's happy. Isn't that right Rika? You don't mind what anyone does do you? Not as long as you keep your collar on and obey Don." Leon started chuckling as he drank his pint.

"Shut up you idiot. Rika , focus now." Don pushed a glass of water to me that was full of ice cubes. "Now then I want you to take this and wrap it around your knuckles." Don instructed as he put a few ice cubes in a napkin and pressed the bundle into my hand. I slowly slid off my leather fighting gloves to reveal bleeding and bruised knuckles. It hurt and one of my knuckles came out in a weird bump, hmm maybe I broke one or it was just swelling. I silently pressed the ice filled napkin over my knuckles and watched as Don dipped another napkin in the water and wiped the dried blood on my forehead. The curious glances we got were warded off as Leon and Mark threatened and gestured aggressively to the other patrons.

"There we go Rika, all better just keep that napkin on your knuckles. And here comes the lovely Erika gents, make room for her guys." Don said as he pulled a chair up next to him as a tall, thin with short re hair that framed a heavily made up face of thick eyeliner and rouge lips.

"Hallo gentlemen. What's the pleasure for tonight?" Erika asked as she sat cross legged next to Don in her short denim skirt and halter pink top with matching hot pink heels. Her attitude was just as flashy as her outfit.

"Lots of alcohol, a diamond jewellers shop and whatever you got on the menu sugar." Leon smirked as he leaned forward in his chair.

I ignored them as they talked, flirted and spoke about whatever they wanted. I was more interested in the group of women who were laughing and smiling without a care, the children ran around them playing. One of the twins held a tiny baby girl and handed it to a tall graceful woman, she smiled at the baby and turned to the girl next to her.

They were the two people from the jewellers, the teenage girl with black hair, bright blue eyes and dressed in a simple flowing skirt and blouse. The girl called Skyler. She turned and glanced in my direction, she locked eyes with me in surprise and quickly turned back to the woman with the baby and spoke to her. Was she still afraid of me? What was fear? I….. wasn't sure I knew what it was, or if I even felt it, did I feel things, was this a feeling? A emotion? And if it was what was it called?

"Helloooooo? Anybody home? Rika try and keep your sanity girl." Erika laughed as she raised her hand in front of my face. Her and the others were laughing.

"Here Erika, this is a little treat for my precious girl." Don said as he handed out a diamond flower ring. She gushed over it and put it on all of her fingers until she was happy with leaving it on her middle finger.

"And for Rika, a little something for you." Don said as he took my hand and wrapped a silver plated bracelet around my wrist, it was dotted with a few rubies and threw the light in blood red beams. Not as petty as the stars.

"What do you think Rika?" Don asked with a smirk.

I blinked at him and turned away to look out the window at the light falling raindrops. "The stupid bitch doesn't even know how lucky she is to have a gift like that, I appreciate it all Don." Erika leaned forward to kiss Don's cheek.

The sound of a door slamming and stalking footsteps snapped my attention to the entrance. I hissed as I saw three of the bodyguards who had been at Dean's shop. A hiss raised in my throat as I clocked them walking towards the bar and taking a seat facing us.

"What's wrong with her now? Does she need to be taken for a walk or something?" Erika asked snidely as she got up with Leon to get more drinks.

"Rika what has gotten you so…" Don's voice trailed off as he saw where I was looking, The three bodyguards were moving towards Leon and Erika, one of them slid on a pair of brass knuckles as he moved silently through the crowd.

"Ah it looks like Dean isn't going to give up that easily, that miserable sod must need a more harder lesson taught. Come on Rika." Don said as he got up with Mark dragging me by my arm.

Erika screamed and everyone's attention turned to her and Leon who were being pinned with their arms twisted behind their backs. The music seemed to stop and people were unsure whether to help or stand by and ignore it. Skyler and followed us on the opposite side of the room and tugged on one of the twins arms pointing at me.

"Now then lads, your disrupting a lovely afternoon, ruining these peoples evening and your pissing me off. So let those two go, or you'll regret it like your boss did." Don warned trying to appear the good guy.

"You think I'm afraid of you, you little bastard? Well lets just see-" I didn't hear the rest of what he said, because Don quickly clicked the latch on my collar so it swung off. And his two words were all that I registered before my mind went blank.

"Get 'em."

I lunged forward, not really seeing much as my iris' expanded then readjusted to normal size, blazing a slight amber as I grabbed the man holding Leon forward by his tie, choking him and kicking him in the back of his knee caps so he fell forward in pain, I spun out and flung my hand at the face of the man holding Erika. I dug my nails into his skin and raking them across his eyes. Erika ran out of his reach and as he blindly reached for her, I kicked out into his hard muscled stomach. Someone was hitting me behind, so when the man in front of me dropped to the floor gasping for breath, I spun around throwing my fists into the leaders face.

As he fell sideways, I kneed the one I had first attacked in the face as he began getting to his feet. He fell down unconscious. A chair came crashing down on my back as the leader brought it down with bone crushing force, I spread eagled on the ground, I could feel a burning anger building inside of me.

I spun on my hand so I could twist as I flipped myself up and over back onto my feet, he lunged again and I saw the glint of metal, dodging sideways I felt the bite of the knife go into my side, I ignored it and pounced on his back, slamming his head into the hardwood floor, repeatedly.

"Stop Rika." Don said, I didn't get up until the collar was clicked securely around my neck.

When I straightened up I noticed my surroundings. A few police officers were rushing through the doors, the crowd of people had all taken steps back to keep out of the way of the fight, and shocked blue eyes stared at me in horror. Well not at me, lower, by my side. I looked down to my ribs where they were aching, only to see my top soaked and dripping with blood. My knuckles were bruised as well, a few definitely cracked, the napkin I had wrapped around them was long forgotten on the floor. My back was aching and I was certain fresh bruises were blooming across my cheeks and body. Don would be angry that I had let them mark me.

"Officer these men have been threatening my niece Erika here, please arrest them, Rika tried to help her but they got violent, she attacked them in self defence." Don said in a fake shocked voice.

Looking at one of the police officers, I remembered him. He was the chief of police, Don had met with him a few days ago to have dinner, he was being paid by Don to keep the law out of his way.

"Please sir, go with my colleague and we shall take a statement, we do not tolerate thugs or gangs in this country. We will take care of this." The Chief of police patted Don on the shoulder and I saw Don slide some notes into his pocket. These three men would be dead by morning and no one would know a thing about it.

Erika ran to Don's arms pretending to be shocked by what had happened, I knew her sobs were really peels of laughter.

Mark grabbed me and walked me away in the hustle of people, trying to keep me away from the public eye. But I could see Skyler trying to follow me outside dragging along two men with her.

Out the door Mark walked to the parked car and left me leaning against the bumper as he went into the glove compartment to get the First Aid kit. I watched curiously as Skyler came over with a nervous twitch in her movements. Now what's going on here?

"Rika, next time Don tells you to get 'em try to not get hurt so much. We got another appointment tomorrow and you'll need to be in great condition. Don hates it when you looked messed up." Mark called as he rummaged through the glove compartment.

"Rika do you remember me?" Skyler asked quietly as she stopped a few feet away from me.

I nodded my head as I took in the stances of the two men with her, one of the twins I had seen holding a baby, and the one with shining silver eyes that made me want to hiss and challenge.

"It's okay Rika, they aren't here to hurt you. We just want to-"

"Who the hell are you?" Mark's hostile voice made Skyler take a step back and the two men took a step each in front of her. Mark pulled me by my arm so I was flush against his side. He must've had a shock when he realised we weren't alone.

"We saw that the young lady was hurt, we wanted to know if she was all right and maybe if you needed any help." The twin said with a deep voice that reminded me of music. It was a trapping voice."Thanks for the concern, but we don't need no help." Mark turned to face me and block me from their view at the same time, as he pulled up one side of my top and dabbed roughly at the bleeding knife wound. I winced a little at the pain.

"You are hurting her." That dark voice warned as well as informed.

"Stay out of stuff that isn't your business." MArk snapped as he added pressure to the wound and tried to unwind a wad of bandages one handed.

"Mark they mean no harm-" I tried to ease the situation but I only seemed to make it worse.

"Shut the fuck up Rika, you know what fuck this. Get in the car, I'm taking you back to the Cage, Don will deal with the cops." Mark roughly shoved me towards the car and I heard a growl go through the night air.

I spun back around to find Mark pinned against the car door by the man with silver eyes. I stumbled a little with dizziness and exhaustion. How much blood had I lost?

"That is no way to treat a lady." The man with silver eyes growled.

I felt a part of myself try to turn wild and run, to fight and hiss, to do something but it was stopped for some reason. Held deep within me by some unknown force.

"And what the fuck would you know about treating women? Rika get 'em! For fuck sake someone take the collar off of her, Rika do something for fucks sake, chew this guy a new ass hole or something." Mark struggled against the silver eyed Carpathian and kept trying to reach for him.

He was an idiot, I didn't listen to him, only to Don. The an with silver eyes uttered something and all of a sudden Mark fell silent. A strange buzzing filled my ears.

"Rika please will you come with us? We can take you somewhere safe." Skyler asked gently with a raised hand, I noticed though that she didn't take a single step away from the twin.

"You are right Skyler she is psychic, she has a very strong shield." The man with silver eyes turned his attention to me, letting go of Mark but Mark still sat there quietly. He took a step toward me.

"Gregori, maybe that is not the best action to take." The twin cautioned.

I hissed and backed up, edging closer to the forest. I didn't like this, there were more of them, men with power that it made my skin tingle, they were coming from around the side of the inn, I felt a need to run, frantic to hide and escape.

So when Gregori took another fluid step forward I hissed in a warning, feigned a lunge and when he moved out of the way slightly, I spun and ran full pelt into the forest. I heard swearing and quick feet following me. Were these the people Don had warned me about? The ones who would take me and use me, the ones Don was trying to protect me from? I had to get away. That was my only thought as I ran deeper into the forest.

**A/N Pretty please review and let me know what you think. XD**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

My feet pounded out hastily along the grass and I leapt over fallen logs in my haste. I swerved unpredictably in hopes that the pursuing footsteps behind me would fade and vanish all together. They didn't. Voices whispered, coaxed and demanded for me to stop. The wild in me started burning again, trying to get out, but it was restricted. It however helped me move quicker and be more agile to the point I leapt onto tree branches and landed crouched and running.

My breath huffed out of me and I came to a stop in what appeared to be a small garden. The blood was pounding in my ears and breathing was hard, I could feel the dull throb of my busted knuckles still and the wound in my side was burning. I was in bad shape, I could fight but I hadn't had any sleep or rest in three days, and each day I seemed to get a new injury.

Gregori seemed to appear out of the haze of mist surrounding the forest line, I backed up further into the garden, hissing and spitting at him, there were more men now, the twins from the inn, three more men and two women. They shared the same features, dark hair, long tied back, dark mysterious eyes, a compelling aura. Whatever they were they were all the same.

_There are creatures in the dark Rika, some good some bad, just like in the day. Help and protect the ones who are good, and when you figure out who are the bad one, then you fight or run. But if ever a dark eyed monster tries to own you, run for your life child. _The same soft feminine voice I'd been hearing lately whispered through my mind. It made no sense to me, but I agreed with fighting who I thought was bad, Gregori with his cold merciless eyes and ice hearted demeanour. But I couldn't do anything unless Don said, not until he took the collar off right?

"Little one, will you calm down and come with us, we mean you no harm." His voice was as dark as his aura. That buzzing came back again, compelling me. I whipped my head around clearing my head."No harm you say? You all mean harm, and I wont be a victim. Creatures of the night, I despise." I felt like I was taking a back row seat in my own mind. A part of me that fought to the front of my consciousness to take control of my body, so that I stood in a crouch with hands curled into claws. What was I doing? I couldn't act without Dons permission, I never had before. What was going on?

I foul scent reached my nose, it made me want to gag, it was like the very presence of evil itself and I hissed at the people facing me."I don't have time for this, either you comply willingly or you-" I didn't hear the rest of his words, a flash of light lit up the darkness. A crash rocked the clouds above us, and the scream of woods splitting and flames igniting speared through my ears. We all turned in the same moment to look at the flaming house. It took only seconds but we seemed to stand there for a millennia. The I heard it a child's scream from the top floor of the house. The flames consumed the building in a heartbeat, hungry to devour it all, and greedy to claim the child's life. The me that wasn't me, became a part of me that I knew but didn't. Lord maybe Erika and the others were right and I had truly lost my mind.

"NO!" The scream ripped out of me and the people around me started moving in the same instant. They blurred their images and spoke words that made it rain in torrential downpour. It did nothing to the fire and as the men were about to enter the flames I dove past them, using my hands and feet to propel me through a flaming window, curving my spine so I could get more momentum.

The fire would burn everything, it was insatiable, and there was a child…. I could hear him screaming, crying and asking for help, the roar of the fire mocked his pleas. I couldn't allow the fire to kill again, to claim another innocent life. I would d what I could.

The flames burned my skin and I felt the heat prickle and singe me, I focused on the child though, moving with cat like grace on all fours and keeping low to the floor to avoid the smoke. I leapt up the crumbling stairs and streaked through the licking flames. I had to save him, he would burn in the fire and he was so defenceless. I promised…..

I broke through a door that was barely being consumed by fire. The stench of death and evil was still permeating the air and above the sound of the fire and screaming house, I could hear the sounds of battle a and a creature screeching in pain and anger.

The baby cried again. It wasn't the child I was meant to protect but it still needed help, she was wriggling around in her play pen. She had beautiful brown curls and deep intelligent brown eyes, she held more knowledge than I suspected her one or two years should.

There was a shiny haze around her, it deflected back flames and stopped the smoke reaching her tiny lungs, but even I knew it wouldn't stop the crumbling ceiling or the rest of the house when it collapsed. The buzzing came back to my head and I could dimly hear someone screaming. _"My baby, please save my baby!" _

The women sounded nearby, and there were more people trying to get into the house, but the sounds of fighting outside meant something was stopping them. I could save her but it meant I would have to do something I wasn't meant to…I reached up to the collar around my neck. Don would be mad.

The baby screamed just as cracks formed along the ceiling, my mind decided I leapt forward, somehow getting through the barrier that was stopping everything else. I wrapped the baby up in a blanket tightly and wrapped another one around her face to stop the worst of the smoke. I could feel it clogging in my own lungs and choking me, the baby wouldn't last long if she inhaled it.

I ran out of the room, still with catlike grace, but on two legs, I made it to the stairs and as I was about to go down them, the ceiling fell and the stairs gave out. The entire first floor was a ground of fire and smoke, there was no way I could get out that way, I would die before I reached the door. The baby was quieter, but I could feel shivers and whimpers wrack up her tiny body. I had to save her.

I looked across the landing and at the end there was a window, the fire was growing hotter if that was possible, and a huge expanse in the floor had been taken out by the raging inferno. A wild primal instinct in me took over and I sprinted for the gaping hole, at the last minute as my feet touched the edge, I pushed with all my might and leapt the twelve feet across air. I landed in a crouch and quickly checked the baby before heading to the window where the smoke was escaping out of. Through the haze that made my eyes stream and made y lungs strain for air and cough, I could see dark figures colliding in an eternal battle, I was two storeys up, I couldn't clear the jump in my current state and keep the baby safe…. This was where I had to defy Don.

Wary of the falling building around me I wrapped the baby up tightly in one blanket and turned the other into a sling cradling her and tying the edges in a knot above her. I hastily kicked off my shoes and ripped off the expensive clothes Don had paid for, I could feel the heat of the flames on every inch of my body, I hesitated only once before I undone the latch of the collar and stuffed it in the bundle with the baby. I felt the anger and wildness that had been building in me for days now, break out. I hunched over, I felt a different heat prickle my skin and a familiar warmth wash over me as well as an awkward, uncomfortable pain. It flashed through my chest and as my body shrunk and expanded in places. my arms and legs hunched till they straightened with new strength, my face elongated and my pupils flashed to slits, I relaxed as I settled into my natural form. Tiger stripes decorated my orange body, as well as snow white framing my cheeks and underbelly. A flame licked out and snaked across my hind legs, I snarled in rage, the sound rocking the night, I despised fire. It destroyed everything and had taken everything from me once before. It wouldn't take everything away from this baby girl if I had anything to do about it.

I grabbed the knot in my mouth and the baby was snuggled deeply in the bundle and closely to my chest, she would be safe there. I approached the window and climbed on the ledge, the glass had long since shattered from t heat of the fires so I wouldn't have to break it.

With one last glance at the flaming hell I sprang off the ledge and into the night, the baby swung slightly but my firm jaw kept the bundle safe. I landed with a barely any sound .I sprinted forward, curling my spine in half to get further away from the crumbling building and hungry flames. The sound of fighting were quieting and I took in the figures of hideous living corpses being decapitated, hearts ripped out and incinerated. Gregori saw me with the child and followed me, a distance away in the shelter of the trees I shifted back quickly, uncaring that I was naked in the night and getting wet by the downpour that had been ineffective to the fire. I fumbled with the bundle to find the collar, I needed to get it on now, the pain was growing, radiating out through my body causing my breathing to hitch more than the smoke had. I fumbled with the latch and when it was secured, the pain slowly ebbing, I curled around the baby and just couldn't move as exhaustion took over, Don never let me shift, it took too much out of me.

Gregori's expression was as solid as stone as he approached me with the other people. A woman wirth bright red hair ran forward crying, she reached for the baby and the small child gurgled happily. Good she was safe now.

I closed my eyes tiredly and my vision and mind blacked out. I could hear that feminine voice whisper to me and my heart twinged with unfamiliar feelings. _You did good Rika, I could never be more proud of you, but you done right child._

**A/N Well what do y'all think? Review and let me know please! XD**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Skyler watched as Gregori laid Rika onto the spare bed, he had clothed her in jeans and a shirt, yet this close up the baggy clothes couldn't hide the frailness of her body. How could someone be so thin. She looked so peaceful as she slept, it was hard to believe that she had turned into a snarling tiger only moments ago. Skyler had watched through Dimitri's mind as vampires attacked the house where Corrine's baby was sleeping. Corrine had been out of the house and standing in a grove of the woods with Dayan, they had left the house for only a few minutes as baby Jennifer slept. Rika had been running for what she thought was her life probably, yet she had still jumped into the fire to save a child.

"Is she all right?" Skyler asked worriedly as she took a step closer to Rika, who had now curled up on her side and sleeping like a cat.

"Don't get too close Skyler, we don't know if she's dangerous." Gregori warned as he held her arm.

Skyler narrowed her gaze. "She as dangerous as anyone would be if they went through what she did, who's brilliant idea was it to scare her again by using a mind control trick and acting as the bid bad Carpathian bogeyman?"

Mikhail laughed as he patted Gregori on the back. "Look at you, Dark One, getting rebuked by your own niece."

Gregori shrugged them both off as Francesca, Gabriel, Dimitri, Jaxon and Lucian walked in to the room. There were other Carpathians waiting outside the room, ready to react at a moments noticed in case anything else unexpected happened.

"I just checked on little Jennifer and she's healthy as a baby can be. Not even a hint of smoke inhalation. Corrine wants to speak to Rika when she wakes up to thank her." Francesca says in her calm usual way.

"But what about Rika? There were no safeguards on her, she might be hurt, she might die from smoke inhalation right now as we're talking." Skyler's panicked voice made everyone in the room realise just how much of a connection the teenager felt towards the stranger.

"I will check her and heal her minor injuries, there is no need to panic Skyler, we are all here to help her, and if it wasn't for you, this child may never have received our help."

_Yeah and look at how well we've done so far…_Skyler thought bitterly.

"_Skyler we will try to help her, it just seems our first meeting with her is an unfortunate one with unlucky events in it. We mean her well." _Dimitri's voice was reassuring in her mind. Though she could she Gabriel and Lucian narrow their eyes at the Carpathian who was slowly warming her heart. Skyler averted her eyes back to Rika as Gregori reached his hand out to rest above her chest where there was smoke swirling inside of her.

He felt something sharp like a bee sting as his hand neared the strange necklace like collar Rika wore, a snap of energy popped and made his hand jerk back. "What is that?"

Curious and wary Gregori leaned forward to look at the strange necklace, Gabriel, Lucian and Dimitri tried to get a closer look,, whilst at the same blocking the prince and women.

Just as the four men were so close they could see Rika's twitching eyelids, with their eyes focused on the collar, they didn't see Rika's eyes snap open with their slit pupils. They jumped back when she hissed feral at them

My head was fuzzy, I could feel heat prickling my neck and murmured voices talking. I felt terrible, my body and bones ached, I knew the minute I woke up fully I would feel the consequences of what I'd done. I would be punished for taking of my collar, Don wouldn't be happy with me, not at all. I felt the air stir around me and immediately I felt cramped and surrounded.

My eyes opened in an instant and all I could see were dark men peering down at me. I hissed in defence. They jumped back just as I sprang to my feet and jumped to the corner of the room where I stood crouched with my spine arched, hissing and spitting at them. I needed to shift to protect myself.

My hand went to the latch on my collar, as my finger grazed to cool metal lightning shot through me and sparks erupted up my arm.

"_RIKA!"_ Dons angry voice resonated through my mind, so loud it seemed to rattle my brain. I cried out and crumpled to the floor clutching my head. A insistent beating was pounding against my temples, as quick and persistent as a birds wings flapping, but with the force of a freight train ramming into my skull. I felt my throat close and I choked, suffocated on blood as I coughed it up. Good Lord, Don was pissed!

"I'm….sorry." I saw the people in the room try to approach me, I snarled at them, feeling the wildness raise its head and try to shift, fur ripple across my skin- I was slammed into the wall.

"_RIKA! You will stop this, this instant or when I find you, you will be punished even worse!"_

Hell at this rate Don was going to butcher me.

I curled up on the floor into a tight ball, I hissed and growled at whoever came close, giving off the message that I didn't want any help. They were talking, trying to say something, but I couldn't hear anything through the keening high pitched noise ringing through my ears and rattling my brain.

"_Wait till I find you Rika, you lousy bitch! I'll make you learn obedience!"_

Abruptly everything stopped, the noise the pain, Don's anger. He must be tired, he would regroup his strength and come looking for me, like you would look for your lost pet. Then he'd punish me with direct contact. I shivered remembering the last time I'd been punished for running away and shifting. My curled hands relaxed around my head, my chest heaved with even breaths as I calmed down my racing pulse. That's right, I was a pet. Humanity wasn't something I interacted with.

Wherever I was Don would show up soon, he would pay the people here for taking care of me, then take me back to the Cage. I just had to do what I was told, that was it. Follow rules. Cautiously I pushed myself up on my hands into a sitting position. I leaned against the wall and rested my knuckles on my jean clad knees. Huh, I was in clothes, someone had dressed me.

I looked at the people around me and was surprised to see a familiar face. "Skyler?" I tilted my head as I took in her anxious worried features.

A grin broke out on her face and she crouched in front of me, knocking of the two pairs of hands that tried to restrain her. "She's not going to hurt me." She murmured to the peoples around us. "Rika are you all right?"

I nodded my head and waited for her to tell me what to do. Instead she chewed her lip as if she was uncomfortable with my silence.

"Well, you know I'm Skyler, and I know you're called Rika. I'll introduce everyone else to you. That my mother and father, Francesca and Gabriel, my aunt and uncle over there Jaxon and Lucian. My other uncle the one you don't seem to like, though many people avoid him he's called Gregori. Tha one behind Gregori is Mikhail, and the umm other who's.. ugh his name's Dimitri." For some reason she blushed as she pointed to the last man.

I was, however puzzled over the words she'd used to describe them, their titles. I furrowed my brows in even more confusion. I wonder if I asked her something if she'd answer. Normally Don would give me a snippy remark and change topic if I asked anything, or I got a slap in the face. I could only try and find out.

"What is a mother, father, aunt or uncle?" Maybe I shouldn't have asked a question after all, because everyone's eyes widened in shock. Whether that meant good or bad I didn't know but I braced myself.

"Don't you know about family? What it is?" Skyler asked in a hushed tone.

I remembered that word. Family. I had been ten and a kid in the street had asked if I wanted to have dinner with his family, till Don came out of a shop and dragged me away. When I asked what a family was and if I had one, Don had said I had none, no one wanted me. He said he found me nearly dad in the middle of a street all alone. He was kind enough to take me in feed me and clothe me. But I still don't know what it is.

I just frowned some more.

"You don't talk much do you?" The small blonde woman called Jaxon said as she stepped forward. She stood tall with her hands on her hips, I'd seen many people like her before. She stood with the weight of the law on her shoulders, she was a cop. And not the sleazy type she was a straight up law abiding officer.

I jumped to my feet and hid my beaten knuckles behind my back. Her sharp eyes took in the movement and they narrowed.

"Who are you? Where are you from?" Her voice was blunt and to the point, she knew I wasn't your average joe. "That man you are with, Don? What is he? Is he a gang leader?" Oh yeah she was sharp, and too smart for her own good if Don caught a hold of her.

"It's best not to ask questions. He will be angry." I said in a monotone keeping my expression blank.

"Who will, Don?" Jaxon asked again stepping forward, constantly being shadowed by the twin Lucian.

Gregori, the one will with silver eyes also stepped forward reaching out at the same time. I was partially frozen in how to act in this situation, no one was telling me what to do, so what do I do?

"Why don't we take that collar off of you? It seemed to be causing you pain earlier." Gregori was nearly touching the latch on the collar before I realised what he was going to do. I jerked back till my head slammed into the wall, my eyes wide and frantic.

"No don't, if you take it off Don will be even angrier. I will be dangerous." I rushed my words out with my rough disused voice, they heard me though.

"Will you stop crowding her? Rika we wont do nothing you don't want us to do. You helped save a friend of ours we only want to help you." Skyler said pulling Gregori back and clinging to his arm.

I had saved someone? The baby! "The baby is safe?" I asked in a guarded voice.

Skyler grinned and nodded, a slight smile flitted on everyone else's face as well.

I closed my eyes and sighed. _I saved someone, but that isn't enough to ask for forgiveness. I'm so sorry I couldn't save the others…If only I-_

If only what? My trail of thought ran into a blank wall, ending in just nothing. Pitch blackness. What had I been thinking? Why was my head aching?

"Rika I said are you sure you're alright?" The women called Francesca asked.

No I wasn't. I felt sadness creep up in me, absolutely no hope left. So tired and so weak. I couldn't fight any more. I didn't want to.

I slowly slumped to the floor. What the heck? How could I be feeling anything? I know I felt pain, Don made sure of that, but this other strange sensations, they weren't physical feelings. They were more internal and nothing I could see was causing them. Then it clicked. They weren't mine. This thoughts, these _feelings_ that were foreign to me belonged to someone else. Someone else had a link to me other than Don.

"Whose thoughts are these?" I mumbled out as I felt my mind narrow. Did the room temperature just drop? It felt as though ice consumed me.

It was nearing the end now. The vampires had had their fun, even a few mages had tormented me and conduct their own little experiments. The Dragonseeker blood running through my veins practically made them jittery with excitement.

I would use my strength for one last thing, I would escape so I could tell the Prince and the Dark One what I had learned. Because it seemed Xavier's influence reached further than we thought. He had been dabbling in things he shouldn't have been. Tonight the vampires had gone out an attack against my people. I could feel the tension in the night. I had been drained of blood and energy for months now. Or was it a year already?

The mage who was sat at a sterile metal table across from me didn't even know he was about to die. I still had a tie to Lucian and Gabriel, Darius and Gregori, if I failed I could send a message to them with the last of my sense and strength. But I would try to accomplish this last task with a honour I could no longer feel, then I would greet the dawn in peace.

The mage got up to walk to a stack of ice shelves opposite me. Raising my head a bit I focused on him and made my ravaged voice come out like a song. "Come towards me."

The mage jerked and I could feel him trying to fight my compulsion, I hadn't lived centuries long for no reason. The power in my blood I had earned. Like a puppet on a string the mage walked towards me.

"Now release me from my chains."Murmuring a chant the mage hastily undid the charmed shackles that held my wrists above my head, as well as the chains that seemed to be branded to my chest.

The chains clinked to the floor and I wrapped my compulsion tightly around the young mages mind, holding him still as my fangs lowered to his neck. I knew if I waited long enough they'd make a mistake. And they had, in their rush the vampires had left this slow minded mage in charge, now his life would be my strength.

As my fangs sank in deep, I tasted the rush of fresh hot blood, the darkness in me seemed to recede and consume me all at once. The starved beast roared and raised its head in delight. MY hand clutched tighter around the mages throat as I dug my teeth in further, feeling the strength return to me. This was the closest I had got to feeling in centuries, and I was finding it damned hard to stop.

Months of being kept weak wracked my body, the trauma in my mind from the experiments had shaken my soul. Not even the thought that there were more Dragonseeker's eased my mind. It just assured me that I would not be the last of my families legacy. It would continue if I lost myself to the darkness or dawn. But with the hot liquid fire running down my throat and through parched veins, it was hard to think of the light of dawn. The darkness was crouched and ready, ready to consume me, to accept the fact that my life mate had already passed from this world and I had missed my chance of ever knowing her.

One moment of feeling, the same feeling that insignificant human were allowed to feel on a daily basis all their lives, and always took advantage of. I could feel that, all I had to do was drink for a few more moments, take the last few drops that this pathetic mages heart pumped with life, then I would feel alive. I would feel whole again.

"_Why do I feel as though I want to cry for you? Please just stop it, your making me FEEL this way, I've never felt, nothing….. especially something like this, just stop it please."_A soft voice that seemed so defeated yet strong rang through my mind, allowing me to pull back and blink in confusion.

"_Who was that?" _My only reply was a fleeting image of bared teeth. Only these teeth belonged to no animal. But a woman, who was so beautiful my mind was stunned as I let the mages dying body slump to the floor. She had night black hair, that went just below her shoulders, the tips and underneath of her hair seemed to glisten a slight orange, or red, was it blood or dye? Her light tanned skin glowed even as she hunched in on herself and curled up on a hardwood floor. Her clothing was baggy and average, jeans and blue t-shirt, yet I could see her thinness under the fabric, even if most of the flesh on her was muscle. Her hands fell down at her sides, her knuckles cracked and bleeding. I could see her perfectly in my mind. Her chest raised as she breathed in deeply, exhausted, her slim neck was crowned with a leather and metal plated collar. Her cheek bones were high on her oval face, her nose rounded and without a single break in it was tiny, her eyelashes as dark as her hair lowered over burning azure eyes. She was beautiful.

The moment I thought that and my breathing stilled. Everything went back to black and grey. But that meant nothing. She was here, in my time of need and near turning she had reached for me, or I had reached for her. And now that I knew the link I was looking for I could feel it twanging between us a strong silver line that connected our souls.

Paying no attention to the failing heart that I could hear I stalked out of the twisting cave tunnels with a clear path in my mind. I knew she was here, I had to go to her now.

I used all my strength to turn to mist and seep out of the cracks in the crusted over ice on the small entrance to the chamber I was being held in. When I was in the night sky I made the molecules form into the shape of a buzzard. The buzzards form was a simple thing, and it flew fast for what I needed. I soared above the trees, my keen eyes not locking on anything they could see below, not until the trees thinned out and expensive looking house rose before me. I swooped down feeling the probes of minds as I hastily shifted into my human form.

As my feet touched down, I inhaled deeply, there were loads of Carpathians here, and so was she. That silver cord that clung to the last piece of my sense and sanity was nearly tangible, I could practically taste and see it leading me to her. I took a step forward to the house where my salvation was waiting.

The door opened to show the Dark Twins and the Dark One. I lowered my head in slight acknowledgement, but the beast wanted nothing to do with manners, it wanted its mate. I wanted her.

"Gregori, Lucian, Gabriel it is a pleasure to see you. I have news to tell our prince, but I have other issues to attend to at the moment."

Gregori folded his arms over his chest in a hostile position. "And what would be so much more important than any news you must deliver to us?"

Before I could say my response and snarl at him, a roar came from the house. I reached for her mind, trying to fully connect so I could convince her to come to me, so we could be with each other, help each other. A second storey above the porch, a orange blur landed on the porch roof with a thud. I looked up to see a snarling tiger, teeth bared in a vicious display. I felt no fear as I stared calmly into vertical pupils surrounded by a ring of clear azure.

"My life mate." I murmured just before she hunched up and pounced off the roof, landing on the grass and running in the same instant at me. I stood waiting for her to decide our fate. Her catlike grace was beautiful, just as much as the glimpse at her human body had been to me. Just as she neared me and reared up with extended claws, I felt her mind scream and her eyes wavered between that of a cat and of a human.

The snarling roar turned into a woman's pained cry, a naked version of the lady I had seen in my mind fell into my arms as I caught her. She shook violently and reached out to the collar that was still secured around her neck.

"I felt, what you were feeling. I've never felt before…Don't ..don't at-" Her voice cut off as her eyes glazed over. I nearly panicked until I heard her soft voice again.

"_Don't take off the collar, no matter what. Whoever you are, please just make sure the collar stays on."_

Then she drifted into a fitful sleep, she was too aware for it to be unconsciousness.

I wrapped my arms tighter around her, snarling at the mass of Carpathian male and females alike now standing outside the front of the house staring in surprise at me and my lifemate.

**A/N A BIG thanks to t42n24t2 who reviewed and let me know that this for some reason came out in bold and underlined. Thanks that was helpful, i dont know why it did that cause I didnt type it like that . XD**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Something was tapping, clicking really, six rhythmical clicks running into each other and starting again. They stopped and started and even ran into each other, I could hear it as loud as thunder to my ears. What was it? It sounded like someone drumming their fingers on a table with long nails, but it was to light a sound for a hand. My eyelids slowly opened and my eyes darted straight to the source of the noise.

A spider was trying to scuttle up the skirting on the wall, it kept sliding down the groove in the wood and tried again. I was fascinated as its tiny legs worked to hoist itself up. It was funny to watch and if I had a tail it would be twitching in anticipation, the spider turned in amad dash across the other end of the room and my widened eyes tracked it as I pounced and landed in front of it, bending down and caging it with my hands. As the spider started back the other way I padded on quick light feet, tracking it and playing, cutting off its roots, then chasing it the other way. I was doing what a cat did best, toying and teasing. I moved in quick frantic reactions, jerking my limbs one way and then the other, till I realised that I was making so much noise and that someone was bound to hear me.

I spun, plonking down on my haunches with a blank expression at the people staring at me from the doorway. Nope I wasn't doing anything at all.

"Ummm Rika…?" I knew her, that was the girl who kept trying to talk to me…Skyler.

Right, I wasn't at the Cage, I was somewhere in a house, with Skyler and her family, her people. _Stay away from the people who hide in the night. _My heart gave a hollow thud as everything came back to me. Don was going to be so mad.

My shoulders straightened from their hunched position as movement caught my eye. The one I'd attacked, the one had gave me feelings, he was smiling as he strode over to me. I wanted to lash out, bring out my claws at him, but I had already tried that. At the last moment when I had dashed out to kill whoever was messing with me, I had hesitated, I couldn't kill him. Someone who was feeling such sorrow and then joy, someone with a beautiful face that held as many scars and hidden thoughts like mine. I couldn't kill what appeared to be what I saw in a mirror. A lost soul.

"Ah, Rika, you look so confused. Did you rest well?" His voice was rough and so gentle, it was like a blanket. His dark eyes were grinning, I could even see Skyler try to hide a slight smile.

Ignoring his outstretched hand I clambered to my feet, staying on the balls of my feet, waiting for my chance to get out, get out now before Don came and ruined these peoples lives.

"Are you alright? You seemed to be moving okay when you were playing just now, but are you really okay. We examined you but it seems that the collar your wearing prevents the touch of our healers, would you mind if I take it off?" Even as he asked he was reaching for the latch, he was exuding worry and the need to see to my health. He must've been a regular knight in shining armour then, I'd still bite his hand though, lets see a knight be chivalrous when he has a tigress' teeth latched onto his palm.

He stilled and Skyler burst out laughing behind him, as well as Mikhail and a petite woman with red hair.

I jumped at the loud noise and flinched back, crouching low so I could jump out of harms way.

"I'm sorry Rika, I don't mean to laugh, you were just thinking so loudly I couldn't help but hear that thing about you biting, hahaha I wonder what Dominic would do to be honest." Genuine humour and laughter bubbled up from everyone, not the mocking scathing kind I had endured on a daily basis. Except Dominic wasn't laughing.

"Rika, don't be afraid of us." His soft voice played on my senses, melting like honey.

"I'm not afraid." My voice was strong and sure, the laughter stopped and wary eyes turned to me as I straightened to my full height, squaring off against Dominic and curling my hand into relaxed claws.

Mikhail shifted in front of the two women slightly, Dominic tracked my movements as I paced around the edge of the room. I didn't care that this house was finely decorated with an artists architecture, I didn't care that I had been lying in a four poster bed and magnificent oak masterpieces dotted the room as dressers and drawers, I didn't care that someone, again, had dressed me in jeans and a loose shirt. All I cared about was the door and the window.

Three people at the door, so that would be my last option. I circled to the side of Dominic inching closer to the window.

"Why are you keeping me here?" I snarled at them. That's right Rika, distract them with questions and make them wary to approach by using the animal instinct, all of this to keep them away. This was what Don told me to do.

"We are helping you, after all you did help us and save one of our children." Mikhail said in a so calm and composed voice. Behind him a shadow moved and Gregori entered the room. As the eyes turned to him he focused on pulling back Mikhail and the women, placing himself between them and me. Dominic bristled and growled lowly at the slashing silver eyes.

With feral eyes and a low voice, that I hoped was intimidating, I growled allowing my eyes to change to glowing azure slits. "Perhaps YOU should be afraid of me." I hissed and lunged forward.

As I expected Gregori hunched forward to meet my attack, Dominic threw himself forward in my path, whether to stop me, Gregori or both I don't know, and I don't really care. Because I was spinning around and pounding to the window again. My life consisted around hasty exits through windows it seemed. I had rested enough so I would be strong enough to take the drop and land without harm.

The glass smashed around me as I threw myself out like a diver going into the pool. When it looked like I was going to do a belly flop on the ground, I threw my arms and legs out landing in a crouch with my eyes locked on the window and glaring up at Mikhail and Gregori. Where was Dominic?

People who were downstairs, some who looked familiar and some who didn't started coming out, either with worry, anger, or confusion on their faces. I hissed in annoyance and warning throwing myself forward into a fast lope, ignoring the buzzing of my collar in my head, it was warning me to be careful because the change was close to the surface.

I shook my head to rid it off the magical buzz, so I thought the shimmer in the air was a trick of my peripheral vision, yet in seconds I ran smack dab into the middle of a wall. So hard that I rebounded and landed twisted on my side, trying to see in front and behind me.

My head snapped in all directions, Dominic had been the wall, he had appeared out of thin air, I knew they weren't human, but this was even more dangerous, I didn't know what they were. How would I defend myself if I didn't know their strengths and weaknesses?

"Rika calm down, we aren't going to hurt you, we've already helped heal you so please trust us. If you don't want us to take the collar off then we wont. But please just talk with us, you can tell us what you are and we'll tell you what we are. We can help each other." Skyler's eyes were pleading, too old and full of knowledge for her years, yet age meant nothing, I was young, twenty four I think, yet I felt like an old crone ready to pass on. I was so weary, not in emotion, I had none I was sure, but in mind and body.

A warm pressure oozed from my neck and spread across my shoulders, my eyelids lowered and I started purring. "At least talk with us." That soft rich voice tingled the hair fluttering by my ear. I turned my head to see Dominic leaning close and rubbing his strong hands into my shoulders. What damage could talking do? At least I would know what they were, and even if they knew about me I doubt they'd tell, we both had secrets to keep.

With my mind being clouded from the warmth of Dominic's hands I numbly followed his lead back into the house. Everyone was introduced and only a few of them I didn't know, they just seemed curios of me as I sat stiffly on the sofa next to Dominic and Skyler on my other side. I would remember their names always, I was special like that. That was what Don joked about, I could always remember every fact and little detail given to me, it was what made me good enough for Don to keep. Shea and Jacques, Mikhail and Raven, Lucian and Jaxon, Gabriel and Francesca, Dimitri, Vikirnoff and Natalya, Destiny and Nicolas, Falcon and Sara, Gregori and Savannah, Corrine and Dayan, Julian and Desari. I had a sinking feeling that this wasn't even half of them. There was just so many of them here.

Dominic frowned and looked at me with his eyebrows pulled together. "This isn't many of us. So don't look so concerned."I frowned back at him. "This is more than there is of my kind."

"How many of you are there?" Mikhail asked in a quiet inquisitive voice.

My voice was dull as I scoured my mind for the figures. "The last time I saw them, including me there was eight. Now I think there is six, maybe five if Kijo dies."

I couldn't tell if their expression were shock or grief, considering the large group of people, it was probably a mixture of both and varying.

Skyler sucked in a breath. "Why are there s few of you, and why are you dying?" There was suspicion behind her eyes and again I recited the fact I had grown up with.

"We die when we fight, our masters use us and we obey, when we go to the Ring only a few of us die but we still die eventually. In a year or so, two of us will be picked for a breeding pair, so the numbers we lose can be replaced, we already have four cubs, only five to seven years old. They will be going into the Ring in a few years, but sometimes we die before we get to the Ring."

The silence was heavy on my ears and tipped my head everyway trying to hear anything.

"That's barbaric! They're treating you like… Like dogs! Breeding dogs, show dogs, fighting dogs! Pets! They're treating you like absolute animals!" Jaxon exclaimed red in the face.

"I am an animal, he is my master." Why were they getting so worked up? "Is not Mikhail your leader? Your master? Do you not fight to the death for survival? Do you not breed to replenish your peoples popularity?"

The women hesitated to answer the Destiny broke the silence. "Yes we do! But the difference is we do it by choice! We use our free will! They've more or less brain washed you, trained you to obey them! No one deserves to be used like that. They control you in a way that inhumane in any way. They even but a dog collar on you!" Her hand brandished at my collar and I flinched afraid that she would try to take it off. Dominic's hand squeezed my knee in reassurance. Yet he was shaking.

I turned to him, his muscles looked as if they ere twitching whilst being suppressed, his dark eyes were guarded as he locked gazes with me. "What of your parents?"

It took me a while till I realised what he was talking about. The pair who had created me. "I don't know. Don found me as a cub, dying, he took me in when no one wanted a mongrel runt." I thought my answer would calm him, it certainly made Don happy when I answered with these words yet Dominic seemed to get madder, I could feel waves of madness whispering in my head, a silent roaring filling my ears.

"You're so angry." I stated whilst staring at Dominic.

His eyes had red flames dancing in them. What was he?

"I'm not angry, I'm furious! Why hasn't anyone ever helped you?" He roared as he jumped to his feet, his posture as hard as a statue as his flaming eyes searched my face for an answer.

"Other races have tried to liberate us before, but there's something keeping us this way, it guards us for our masters. It's hard to explain, but if we try to defy our masters, our owners we suffer with head traumas, and bleeds, eventually our bodies cease and we lose control, we enter a coma state and we slowly die. That's is what happens to us if we disobey, only our masters can stop and start the process."

There that was surely a answer that would satisfy them all, I mean I was answering their questions without hesitation, with accuracy and in full detail. That was what I had to do.

"What happened to the races who tried to help you?" Gregori intoned in a calm voice.

"It wasn't the whole race, I think it was only a small group of them, Lycans, Mers, Leaopard, Banshee, an Yeti. They tried to help us because they were shifters as well, they felt a kinship with us. They said it wasn't right for us to be treated that way, when our masters found out, we never saw them again. But I heard their screams for a month till they stopped, so they are probably dead."

They still didn't seem happy with my answers so I just tilted my head and waited for the next question. They were silent. Dominic fell to his knees and clutched his arms to my waist as he hugged me. I was stiff unsure how to act in this situation.

_Rika my love, what have you been forced to endure?_

I stared down at him. That was his voice, in my head. How? I touched a tentative finger to my collar.

"How are you speaking to me like that? Did you help make these_?" _I gestured at the collar.

His eyes clouded and again I could see those dancing flames. "That's what he uses to keep control of you isn't it? To show that he own you." His voice was dark and as fast as lightening his hand shot to the collar. It took my a split second to react and my hand grabbed his just as he was sliding the latch, a fraction more and the collar would fall off.

"Please, don't! I'll be punished, I've already broken the rules and I cant take another punishment, not in quick cession like this. Three is already more than enough." I was nearly begging, but only with my eyes, my voice was neutral just in case he did decide the e collar had to come off.

He frowned and his finger let the latch settle back in place, his fingers traced my collarbone and neck, he didn't even jerk when I felt a jolt from the collar sting his palm. He rubbed the years raw skin the collar had ringed my neck with. The flames died in his eyes and something softer, tender replaced them.

"So this thing has a spell or a safeguard on it, it hurts whoever takes it off, and it hurt you if it is taken off." He seemed to have understood what I had been saying so I nodded my head in agreement.

"But that man, Don, he takes it off doesn't he, how?" Skyler's quiet voice asked.

"He is my master." That would surely answer all her questions but by the confused look on her face she seemed only puzzled.

I saw people in the room shaking their heads. "It's very hard to tell you what you want." That was the closest thing to complaining I could get.

"You are telling us what we want, what make you say that?" Mikhail asked as he hugged Raven to his side. She tears shining in her eyes.

"Because you are not happy with the answers I am giving you. In fact you feel so angry you feel murderous." Most of my attention was fixed on Dominic. He was the one emanating the most rage out of everyone's anger here.

"Well, there's something I want to say to you." The timid woman with red long hair stepped forward, Corrine, her mate Dayan shadowed her footsteps. I shrank back a bit as she knelt at my feet like Dominic had and clutched my hands in her surprisingly strong grip.

"You saved our daughter from the fire. Thank you so much." She bent her head at y hands and I felt drops of water land on my hand, she was crying and smiling. I wonder what emotions you felt to do that.

"Even if I obey my master, I cannot ignore that instinct in me." I murmured remembering how much trouble that particular instinct in me caused, Don said it would come in handy in the future, I didn't want to think about that.

"What instinct?" Gregori asked with sharp eyes.

I lowered my eyes in shame. "We have many instincts, one of the strongest in us, we can barely ignore it even the males struggle to fight it, it's the duty to protect the young, we feel strongly for our cubs, and any child's cry makes us feel as if…we have to do something, even if it means we have to disobey our master. Many of us have been punished for that act. I think Melee was killed for it, she had to try and fight everyone who went near the cubs, she was so protective."

I could still hear Melee's snarls, warning the men off as they came to see the cubs in the Cage, then her screeches of pain and fear. Then silence, and the quiet whimpers of the cubs.

"That's….that's…."

"Life. That's the way it is for us. We can not live in your society, we don't know if we have our own, we fight for survival, like any species."

Dominic turned away sharply and strode to the window, his chest was heaving and the anger increased if that was even possible. Gregori and the twins watched him with careful eyes. This was like watching caged beasts. It was familiar.

"Rika, who is your master, your owner, who's the one who has done this to you?" His voice whispered like the wind.

"Don, but I wouldn't try to go against him, he has more power than any of the owners, he is the top of his game and he has the best Tigers."

"So you belong to him?"

I nodded.

"So you're one of the best?"I shrugged.

"And will he try to breed form you?"

I frowned. "Not until he thinks I'm ready and I've done my best in the Dog Fights."

"I'll kill him."

I stared at Dominic. If only he knew how many times I'd heard those words. No one ever succeeded. Don always won, Don always had the control.

"I have answered your questions, now will you tell me who and what you are?"

Before anyone said anything, I felt a strong presence enter my mind, as Mikhail spoke, tonnes of information flooded my mind. Dominic was revealing everything to me, the facts and figures and bonuses and downfalls, of his species. What he could do and what hindered him, his salvation and his damnation, Mikhail's words blurred as I took in all of the information, registering it with quick speed and filing certain bits away for later thought.

"We are starting to replenish, we have discovered that the soil we sle-""Ah, you are Carpathians. I know what you are now." I interrupted trying to save him to time of explaining.

"And how would you now all about us?" Gregori asked in his bland way.

I nodded at Dominic. " He just showed me everything." I tapped my mind. "He showed me what you are and what you can do, the issues you are facing and how you are trying to save yourselves."

Raven cleared her voice delicately, drawing my attention. "Did he tell you then about life mates?"

Dominic stiffened by the window, he still wouldn't turn around. "Yes, he did."

"And you're fine with this, you're taking it all in so calmly. You're fine with being his life mate, with what has happened, and what we are and the talents we possess?" Natalya burst out, seemingly shocked.

"It is knowledge, the more I know the more chance I have of surviving. If he believe me to be his life mate, who am I to tell him otherwise? I only follow my orders. I cannot be allowed to make my choices."

"And why's that?" Dominic whispered to the night sky that glistened with a thousand lights.

"Because I don't feel anything, no joy or sadness, no hope or despair, I feel nothing."They seemed surprised and the men looked like they had haunted eyes, remembering something, I saw Skyler glance at Dimitri with sorrow and regret in her eyes.

Dominic walked to me and cupped my cheek in his hands, my skin felt warm, it was nice, I was always cold. "You feel, I can feel your emotions running through your body, its just that your mind is numb, it doesn't register what they are and it ignores them. When I connect with you, you feel a slight bit of emotion, but the rest is chained. Leashed in." He started growling and his eyes darkened.

Mikhail zeroed his eyes on us and watched with a slight smile. "Dominic what are you planning to do?"

"Rika, we'll teach you to live in the world, I'll teach you to live, to actually live and enjoy life. And I'll free you, I'll kill Don and I'll help you free the others."

Mikhail started nodding slightly. "And we'll help, over the years we have faced many trials, we are stronger than ever right now, I'm sure some of you belong with us." His words seemed to have a double meaning, but I was too busy thinking something else.

_If you try to stand against Don, you will regret it, then you will regret your life. Many others have tried, it is easier to just obey._

I felt Dominic caress my mind, and if a thought could smile, he managed it, he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me up into a tight hug. _I wont regret anything for you, I'll free you from this leash on you, I'll show you what living is. You are my life mate. _

He seemed to growl the words in his mind, there was a beast roaring in his mind, I recognised it instinctively, that when I felt the first stirrings of something hot and melting rush through my veins making my senses tingle and my palms itch till I ran them up his shoulders and allowed him to cling to me.

Maybe…. The creatures in the night weren't so scary, maybe she had been warning me against the wrong creatures, she was always mixing things up, I remember on time- What? What was I thinking? Oh, right the warmth of Dominic's arms.

**A/N Sorry its been so long but I hope this was worth the wait. I've nearly figured out my entire plot and I know where this is going. Review and let me know what you think good bad, or just hello, but also can you give me some help. I need to think of some names for some new characters, both boys and girls, and I like unusual names so could you help me out and suggest any? Thanks for reading!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N Sorry I haven't been updating any of my stories but I just haven't had the time, my dad is suffering from cancer and I'm struggling with work, school and home, I will update when I can so please be patient and I apologise for the delays.**

**Also I haven't put up and disclaimers, well I don't think so, so here's my disclaimers. I do not own any of the Carpathian character, that magical world belongs to Christine Feehan and her imagination. And I do not own the Jet Li movie Unleashed which gave me my inspiration for this. FYI it's a great movie. Well that's it, hopefully. Enjoy the chapter.**

Chapter 6

I was in heaven, it was so hot in wherever I was, and soft. Oh so soft. I stretched and my skin brushed what felt like a million feathers, the heat washed over my skin in waves, I rolled over so I could curl up on my side and the hot air washed up and over my back.

"Are you comfy?"

My eyes peeled open at the soft voice. All I could see was a pair of legs, the dark shade of the trousers blending in the fires glow at my back. I hummed and rolled onto my belly, stretching my arms out over my head, pushing up on my knees and curving my back.

"I don't want to move." I rubbed my cheek into the soft white fur of the carpet I was lying on. Well I guess it was fur, what else was so soft and fluffy?

"Well, you'll need to move in a bit Skyler is coming to see you soon, she's bringing some friends as well."

I closed my eyes not in the least bothered. It had been five days since I'd started staying under the roof of this house. Dominic stayed by my side whenever he could, yet there were times he spoke to other Carpathians and the atmosphere in the room grew darker. I was visited by the Carpathian women, they introduced me to the world, showing me colourful clothing, technology, different foods. Apart from yesterday, yesterday had been a disaster, they had made me a vegetable soup and whilst they were getting the bowls out, I had been busy rummaging in the fridge, when they'd turned back around, I was munching on a raw steak. They seemed disturbed, until Skyler piped up and said, "Well what did we expect? She is a tiger after all."

"Rika are you going to be lazy?" There was a smile in Dominic's voice.

"I'm having a cat nap." I mumbled.

He chuckled and I relaxed more. The last five days had been excellent, I had no more headaches, no more phantom pains sent to me from Don or the collar. It was so calm, I hadn't been in a fight, but…I could feel the urge in me to shift. The feeling of lose, being cut off from a part of myself.

My fingers started drumming against the floor, my legs shifted restlessly. My eyes darted around me, oh shiny, I curled up ready to pounce at the shiny thing. The shorts I wore brushed lightly in the fires heat waves, my top rested lightly and I was thankful I was given light clothes. I didn't like wearing a lot, I had enough of Don dressing me up for show.

"Rika what are you-" Dominic's voice was cut off as I pounced, the shiny things rolled across the floor as I tapped it with my hand. When I flicked it with my fingers it rolled under the sofa between Dominic's feet. GET THE SHINY!

I dove for it, realising it was going out the other side I pushed up so that I landed on Dominic. I leaned over his shoulder and scrambled awkwardly over him and the sofa. I frowned when I saw the other side of the sofa. Huh, the shiny wasn't there.

A deep sound echoed through the room, it took me to realise Dominic was shaking, his arms wrapped around me and he pulled me so that I was facing him, still sitting in his lap. I tensed only a little, the preparation for a hit, a shout for crossing the line. When I saw his face I relaxed, he was smiling and laughing, not shaking with anger. He was holding me with affection and not rage. This was maybe even nicer than the soft rug and hot fire, maybe…

"You're getting better at human contact and understanding non-violent situations." His voice was soft and praising, similar to the tones Don used when I won in the Dog Fights. I shook my head to clear away the thoughts, I wasn't there. I was here….with Dominic….it was nice.

"I've learnt a lot, I didn't know there was so much more, to ummm, do. To live and see. It's rather unusual."

He smiled wider and pulled me closer so that I was flush against his chest. "For someone who hardly ever spoke a few days ago, you speak beautifully, who taught you?"

He was simply curious, yet when I tried to think about how I knew to talk, what words to use I, I came at a blank wall. There was a silver sheet coating that part of my mind, I had no idea what was behind there. It didn't matte, nothing mattered. My eyes focused outside the window, past Dominic's head. It wasn't raining, but the night sky was clear, only a few wisps of clouds floating by, the stars glittering brightly, the moon shone a pale white light, capturing my attention and holding it.

_Isn't it beautiful Rika? It's the moon, you cant touch it, but we always try to reach for it. Keep reaching for what you want, don't ever let anything or anyone stop you, no matter what the consequences. Otherwise there's no point in living._

"Rika?" I glanced back at Dominic, by the tone of his voice I was guessing it wasn't the first time he'd said my name.

"Yeah?"

He frowned and rubbed his hands up my back. "Did you just think something, or did someone say something to you? In your mind?"

At his question I ran my hand over the cold steel plated collar. I felt the familiar warning hum of it under my hand. I missed running on all fours, I felt contained and casting like that we got irritable.

"I don't know what you're on about." I admitted tilting my head at Dominic.

He opened his mouth to say something, only his eyes seemed to grow darker as he just looked at me. I leaned forward as I gazed at the storm that seemed to going on in the depths of his eyes. "You're eyes just changed, that's so cool."

My skin felt hot as I leaned closer into him, so close to his face that I could feel his breath, my own breathing seemed to sped up slightly and my stomach did a flip as I realised I liked him, more than I liked anyone. Uhhh.. What was the word used to describe this? Oh but those eyes.

"So has yours, a deep azure with beautiful cat eyes." He leaned closer and my nose twitched with his scent tickling my senses.

I was trying to get a better look at his eyes, I wonder if the moon could reflect in it like a mirror, it was so dark there? Then I felt something light brush my lips. His hands curled around my back and he tried to pull me even closer, yeah I didn't think that was even possible. He moved our lips in sync and I realised I was doing it back. This was what was called kissing, a show of affection, of attraction, it was my first kiss. And I was enjoying it. I tilted my head and the kiss deepened, I felt his chest rumble and heard his growl. I purred and rubbed my body against him, it was like catnip. I could roll around for ages with him, huh, maybe that didn't sound quite right.

My hands wrapped around his neck and I gasped for air, resting more fully on his lap, my fingers tangling in the ends of his hair that curled at the back of his neck. One of his hand trailed up my back and curled around my neck, I could hear a snap and hi hand didn't hesitate as the collar sent out a sting of energy, his hand curled above the collar, wrapping around my neck and tilting my head for a deeper kiss.

My eyes closed and I sighed as he pulled his lips away, trailing more light pressed kidded to my jaw and down to my neck. I was lost in the new sensations and feeling flooding me. But what I did feel was the slight graze of teeth, he brushed his mouth across my neck, above the collar, the pressed slightly against my skin. I gasped, in shocked pleasure at the feeling.

Then I flinched back as a wave of pain slammed against my mind. The force of it was so strong that I was thrown away from Dominic, across the room and against the wall. The sound of impact was deafening. I fell to the floor with the breath knocked out of me. Don didn't say anything, he sent the full force of his anger through the link he had with me and the energy bound to the collar cut off my airways.

Dominic leaped up in seconds, a snarl ripped from his throat and when he stepped forward, Don anger increased. A invisible force slammed me into the ceiling and let me drop back down to the floor, I went to land crouched on all fours, only the force of it crushed me down, forcing me to land awkwardly.

The pressure on my neck built up, I could feel my windpipe being crushed, then a new sensation alerted me even more than the violent assaults. I could feel the invisible touch of a hand running across my chest. Don had never done that before, I must have crossed the line. I didn't like this. I didn't want this at all!

_Your fun is ending soon Rika._

Dons voice echoed across my skull, shaking my brain up and causing spots to dance behind my eyes. When my vision cleared and the assault on my body and mind ceased, I glanced around me to see Dominic and Gregori.

Everything I felt from the attack, from even a few moments before it, I blocked them out, retreating back into my cold shell. I had been foolish to believe Don had left me alone because he had given up. No, he had just been building his strength, saving it for a moment when he knew I was relaxed, he had bided his time so he could do the most damage.

"Rika..?" Dominic held his hand out to me. I pushed away from both of the men and sat against the wall. My eyes staring past them. The pain was blooming over my body, the aches already starting. That wasn't even taking into account the impact it had on my mind. My psyche itself had been shook.

"I'm fine." I wrapped my hands around my stomach, I had felt hits and blows being dealt out all over my body. But I was used to that, I didn't like it when I felt a hand touch my chest, no one had ever touched me there. Don never used me for things like that, I was a fighter, pure and simple.

"What happened?" Gregori asked with stormy eyes.

I lowered my head, he couldn't have been blind. It was obvious what had happened. When I peeked back at them, I realised they did want me to answer. "Don, he was angry….. Because I was happy. He wants me home."

Dominic growled and snapped his teeth. "He hasn't bothered you for ages why now? How can he? How is he able to do this to you?"

I stayed quiet, ho stupid had I been? A tiger like me, a animal bred for a life of fighting, trained to give obedience to her master, I couldn't live normally. Normal didn't fit anywhere into my life. I had been foolish and stupid.

"It's that collar isn't it?" Dominic's voice was sharp, hard. It scared me. "Well there's one way to solve that problem."

In a quick move full of anger he reached out for the collar, I scrambled back, pressing into the wall, turning away slightly and covering the collar with my hands. "No you can't! If you remove it, I'll suffer. And if it's removed for a long period of time, I'll die."

Unless that was what he wanted of course, he was angry. But maybe he was angry at me, not Don. Maybe I just wasn't doing things right.

"Dominic," Gregori placed a calm hand on his shoulder, trying to sound understanding. "I know this is hard on you, but we will help her. It just takes time. We are tracking him down, we will end this. But don't let your instincts rule you."

Slowly Dominic's body relaxed, his shoulders slumped and his eyes turned warm and soft. He kneeled in front of me and pulled me into a hug. I didn't resist, but I didn't lean into it either. What was I doing? Now? Here? In ten minutes? Tomorrow? I just didn't know what my life was, I was too used to living doing what people told me.

_I'm sorry I didn't protect you. I wont fail again._

His voice whispered through my head and soothed the mental ache. His hands rubbed the bruised flesh on my arms and silently traced the pattern of fingers on my throat. It was stupid and silly, but I felt warm, comforted by his concern. It was a pain having emotions, yet at the same time I wondered how I lived without them.

Gregori cleared his voice. "The others would like to see you." He walked to the door and opened it. Motioning for Skyler, Sara and three giggling children to come in to the room. Behind them I saw Falcon and Dimitri lingering in the hall way. Perhaps they didn't trust me.

"Hey Kitty!" I smiled at the tiny girl in front of me. She had nicknamed me Kitty after realising I was the tiger who had been causing the trouble lately.

"Hello Chrissy, how have you been?"

She immediately launched into a detail of her day, Emma and Travis stood in front of them arguing about something trivial. When Chrissy finished she looked closely at me. "Are you okay? You don't look well."

Dominic paused as he walked to the other side of the room. His eyes assessed me and I turned on a smile and gracefully got to my feet. "You caught getting ready for a cat nap." I admitted.

"No way, you actually do that?" Travis was astounded.

I frowned. "Don't all cats?"

Emma frowned as well. "But you're not a cat now." Skyler and the others were watching us curiously. I always had a soft spot for cubs, human or otherwise. They touched a part of me I had tried to fight when I was in the Cages, you couldn't save every cub there was. But I never stopped trying

I realised what Emma meant, I sat on a stool, my legs crossed under me. "Well, I look human now, but I am a tiger. I act like a cat no matter what I look like."

"So you do cat things?" Travis asked with a glint in his eye. I nodded.

A huge grin lit up his face and he ran to the table where there was a basket full of wool balls. "Here kitty kitty kitty. You want to play with the yarn?" He waved the wool ball around, a string end waving with his movements, my eyes locked on it.

"Travis that's not funny." Emma rebuked, her hand on her hips.

Chrissy copied Emma's stance. "Yeah Travis."

Travis threw the yarn and it rolled away from me. I leapt, I hooked it with my finger and tossed it above my head, I rolled on my back so that I could catch it in my hands and bat it around. When I batted it so hard it went under the table, I didn't even think, I darted after it. I wanted the bright yarn! MINE! I banged head first into the leg of the table, I scrambled around trying to bat t towards me only really batting it away, it was fun. I bumped into chairs, I followed the mad rolling ball of yarn across the floor, I made a dash for it and it rolled into the fire place. Immediately I parked my bum on the floor to stop myself following it into the flames. Awwwww, the toy's gone.

I turned back around to my audience, only to see them either doubled over in laughter, or smirked rather amused at my actions. Dominic was smiling at me and I gave a small smile back.

Emma came giggling to me and leaned down so she could wrap her tiny arms around me. "That was funny. We missed you today Rika."

"My Kitty!" Chrissy ran up to me and wrapped her arms tightly around my neck, when I stood up she hung off me like a scarf. She giggled and swung herself lightly. I was alert to catch her in case she fell.

"You really are a cat." Travis managed to cough out between his laughs.

I just stared at him, he must've thought I was joking, but I knew I possessed very catlike instincts, I was more of a kitty than the leopards. It made for a very interesting life.

"Kitty can you shift? I wanna see your stripes." Chrissy asked grinning up at me, still hanging to me like a baby monkey.

I immediately felt the lose of my animal form, I had never gone so long without shifting, I didn't want to risk the punishment for it anyway. I was in enough trouble as it was. Dominic looked at me with concern but I just shrugged it off. "Not yet Chrissy, I'm still healing."

Chrissy's tiny hand reached up and I flinched when she neared the collar. Only she brushed the skin above it. She pouted in concentration. "Did you get into a fight Rika?"

I froze at her question, she must have been really concerned and serious, considering she'd called me by my real name and not my new found nickname.

Skyler stood up from the chair and clapped her hands together. "Who's hungry?" the mention of food immediately distracted me and the kids. We all filed out the hallway and into the kitchen. New scent ambushed my nose, causing me to sneeze slightly. Chrissy was now clinging to my back, ecstatic and happy as she shouted "Yeeha! I'm riding the tiger. Go Kitty, go!"

"What's this?" I poked at the soft red stuff, that was see through in a bowl.

"That's jelly." Sara told me as she got some cookies out of the oven.

They smelled incredibly sweet. "Do you want one?" Travis held a cookie out to me.

"I don't know." I answered. It looked like a brown stone. Could you really eat them?

"Well do you like them?" I shrugged. "Have you even ever tried one?" I shook my head and his mouth dropped open.

"Then eat it now. Sara makes good cookies. But don't try Alexandria's, Josh warned us all about her cooking." Faintly I remembered Josh and Alexandria, they were part of another Carpathian family.

I gingerly took the cookie, after watching it for a while I bit into it. It melted into my mouth and the inside was still warm. It was so sweet could feel my teeth ache. "Bleh, its like sucking a sugar bowl." I rubbed my tongue on my teeth, trying to rid my mouth of the sweetness.

"You don't like cookies! You're a cookie hater." Travis pointed an accusing finger at me. I would have replied but something else caught my attention. I finally set Chrissy down and leaned over the counter. A bowl with a…I think it was called a whisk, in it sat on the table, in the bowl was something thick and white, it looked like foam but it looked so poofy.

"What's this?" I asked poking a finger into it. It was thick and cold. Hmmmm.

"That's whipped cream." Chrissy told me as she watched me lick the cream off my finger. My taste buds went mad and I immediately scooped out some more with my finger.

"So you like it, figures, the cat doesn't like the cookie but she likes t cream. Typical cat." Travis mumbled as he went for the fresh batch of cookies trying to not burn his fingers on their warmth.

"We made it with the whisk. We broke the normal one so we used the electric one, Travis said it's cheating, I say its just quicker." Emma told me a she sprinkled some cakes with tiny little beads. The entire kitchen was covered with deserts, the kids were loving it and so was I.

As I carried on scooping out the cream my ears picked up the conversation on the other side of the kitchen.

"Have you found him yet?" Dominic asked in a low voice, even I had a hard time hearing it but I still picked it up with my sensitive ears.

"We're having trouble finding him, he seems to have vanished for now and no one knows where he is." Gregori replied just as quiet.

"He hurt her Gregori, if that was your life mate you'd be tearing through the city right now." Dominic grinded his teeth.

"Probably, but she also needs you right now. When she was attacked, she seemed to shut down straight away, she needs you to keep her linked to the here and now. She could end up like Skyler was when Gabriel and Francesca found her. Be patient.""How could he just be able to attack her like that? He's nowhere near here."

"Obviously that collar is charmed, it has to be the link. He is not human, but we don't know if he's just mage. Even if all the evidence points to it."

"I will protect her and I will kill him. How is the Prince taking my report on the experiments that the vampires are now carrying out, it seems to be a progression from what we know Xavier was doing."

Gregori sighed. "He is thinking about what action needs to be taken."

I blocked out the rest of their conversation, I was suddenly very concerned about the lack of cream in the bowl. It was down to half full, I knew that wouldn't be enough. A light bulb went on in my head.

"So you made the cream by using the whisk?" I asked to assure myself.

"Yep." Emma said as she asked Gregori to come and see her pretty cakes.

As he stepped up next to her, I flicked the switch on the whisk. I had learnt that most things had a switch to turn them on. The sound of the whisk was loud and whirred throughout the room. People squealed and cream went flying everywhere. I quickly turned the switch off and stared appalled at the now empty cream bowl. Where had all the cream gone?

I looked to my side, Gregori glared at me. I smiled in joy and wiped my finger across his forehead. I collected the cream on my finger and put my finger in my mouth sucking off the cream. I scooped a handful off his hair. I was delighted to see the cream hadn't vanished, it just wasn't in the bowl. No, it was everywhere, on Gregori's face, on the jelly, the ceiling, the floor, the cook books, even ME!

I liked my arm where a long coat of cream trailed up it. "Yay, cream!"

That was around the time where everyone burst out laughing. Apart from Gregori who wiped the cream off and flicked his hands in the sink.

"NO! Don't waste the cream." I cried out in horror.


End file.
